Timeless
by Colonel Karl L Schubaltz
Summary: **Leon x Karl shounen-ai** Leon and Karl.... fugitives and exiles **CHAPTER 12**
1. Torn from Me

  
  
  


**Timeless**  
_Part One: Torn from Me_  
Written by _Colonel Karl L Schubaltz_

  
  
  
  
Author's Notes: _This is a Leon x Karl ficcie, Jungen und Mädchen (German for boys and girls). This fic takes place during the Death Stinger battles with Hiltz.... this is also what happened to Leon and his König Wolf, The Black Mount... or Sebastian as he likes to call it... through the eyes of Karl, who watches helplessly as Leon destroys the Death Stinger... at a VERY high cost. It's an AU, people!!!_   
  
  
  
"We must defend the capital!" I heard Hermann's voice shout over to me, from the safety of my Great Zabre. It felt like a brief glimpse into a bleak and yet bloody future ahead of us. "Schubaltz! Cover my flank!" "Roger that." I replied, hands on the controls of the Grat Zabre, then I took off my hat and pushed it into full throttle. "Don't be a hero, Aethelwulf. Even Hiltz can destroy you and your Super König Wolf." Hermann shouted from the shadows as a black König Wolf avoided a volley of gunfire from the Death Stinger's numberous weapons. I had to smile at his persistancy, he was never one to give up despite the odds. "Eat shit and die, Hermann." The voice on the other end of the comlinks sounded more humored than angry... angry that Hiltz is ripping his new home right out from under him. "You're not angry that Hiltz is destroying everything??" Hermann pointed out, his face twisted in anger at Leon's sudden lack of compassion. "His dynasty of blood has to end somewhere... the gods won't allow it. I won't allow it. And that makes me a dangerous man. If something ain't so, Hermann... SOMETHING AIN'T GONNA BE SO!" The König Wolf ran for the Death Stinger, I cried out to the pilot to stop. "Don't be a Marcus, Leon!" The König Wolf stopped short of attacking the Death Stinger, it turned to look at me. I can see Leon's eyes through the eyes of the Wolf and for what I saw... I knew that he had something on his mind. "Honestly, I want the capital to burn." Leon confessed, causing a stir inside Hermann and a little in myself. But I knew this was the will of Leon and I learned to accept his anti-Republican sentiment. "But don't you see?? Hiltz can't kill me, even with that gun of his. My König Wolf will be ripped out from around me... my skin burned to cinder. But you of people need to realize... I am the man who cast _The Lord Ultimate_ and survived... in a nutshell, this Death Stinger don't hold a candle to the awesome destructive power of The Lord Ultimate. And if that's what it's going to take to defeat Hiltz.... then so be it." "But, Leon...!!!" I cried out, I swore his tone was turning bitter fast. I wanted to ask... "Don't sound so surprised, Karl." Leon snarled at me... of all people, he was showing anger toward me. "You also need to realize when I casted the spell, I was still so very young. But that was over 10,000 years ago and I'm not so young and so weak anymore. Frankily, Karl, your lack of faith in me offends me. I thought YOU of all people knew what I'm all about. I guess my heart's been misplaced." The König Wolf turned to face Hiltz, it started walking toward the Death Stinger. "...desert the capital, Hermann. I'll finish this from here." "LEON!!!!" I cried out, running over toward the König Wolf. I was blinded by the tears, I reached for the König Wolf. "...stay away, Karl." Leon's low, sad tone caused me to stop in my tracks. "...you're just like everyone else." The König Wolf kept walking, Hermann's Shield Liger Mk-II snapped me out of my shattering dream. "Schubaltz!! We got to abandon the capital!!" "We can't leave Leon behind!!!" "FORGET AETHELWULF!!!!" "...." I can't. //Frankily, Karl, your lack of faith in me offends me. I thought _YOU_ of all people knew what I'm all about. I guess my heart's been misplaced.// "Leon, don't leave me!" I willingly let the words slip as I was being dragged off by the Shield Liger Mk-II. "LEON!!!!" Hermann and I bore witness to the Death Stinger and the König Wolf being consumed in a rain of black energy. Hermann stopped, we turned toward the scene. From the comlinks, we heard Leon chanting a spell and ignoring Hiltz's cruel taunting. From under the Death Stinger and the König Wolf, a very elaborate patchwork of runes and patterns encircled them. The shield and patchwork of runes glowed with the fires of Hell, I began to realize the spell that Leon was casting. "Leon!!! NO!!! DON'T DO IT!!!" "He's going to do it! He's going to cast The Lord Ultimate!" Hermann shouted from behind me, he was equally as shocked as I was. "But he's right inside the runes! He'll get blasted by the spell also!" ...was this Leon's will? Is he going to sacrifice himself to destroy Hiltz? I tore those thoughts from my head but when the rotation and revolvment of the rune circles went faster and more chaotic, I knew... this is it. As the circles of runes generated a black energy sphere, inside we saw the Death Stinger and the König Wolf being crushed by the sheer, awesome forces inside. "Leon.... don't go." //...stay away, Karl. You're just like everyone else.// "LEON!!!!!" The blast is what knocked me down... the blast of energy... the Great Zabre and the Shield Liger Mk-II were incinerated... we both fell to the floor with a thud. I looked up tearfully to see that there was nothing left of the Death Stinger and of the König Wolf. Leon... Leonardo Nygel Aethelwulf... the man who laughed in Raven's face repeatedly. The man who wasn't afraid of Prozen, the man who bodyslammed the Death Saurer.. the man who taught me to be human.... the man who could never die.... destroyed by his own spell. In the middle of the crater I saw a marble object, smoking from the damage. As I slowly approached, I realized who the statue is. It was Leon, his handsome face twisted in a look of agony and the torment of sheer loneliness. As my hands caressed the cold marble, I lost control of my emotions, I collapsed against the statue, crying out for Leon. "I do love you, Leon!! I did have faith in you!! I still do!!! But now I can't tell you how special a man you are to me because you finally got your wish for death!!! Gods, Leon!!!" I wept uncontrollably against the statue, I held on despite Hermann's efforts to peel me away. "Come back to me, Leon!!! COME BACK!!!!!" I wept until all went black...   
  
  
I woke up in the hospital, flowers by my bedside and no one else. My hands were in restraints, and I was in a hospital gown. Tears flooded my eyes, I saw two ugly scars on each wrist, sewn up... I must have... tried to take my own life. "Let me out!!! LET ME OUT!!! I'M NOT CRAZY!!!!" Dead.... dead silence.   
  
  
Meanwhile... in the remains of New Helic City...   
  
The sun shone on the marble statue that encased Leon, showing to the world around him that he had wept blood. He had been doing so since Hermann drugged a hysterical Karl. Unwilling to move, the god in the statue continued to sit there... until he heard very heavy footsteps behind him, indicating that he was in the presence of a Zoid. A growling was heard and from behind... three tri-formed titanium buster claws knabbed the statue and the Zoid rushed off before the Republic or the Imperials spotted it...   
  
  


**-Continued-**


	2. Let Me Die

  
  
  


**Timeless**  
_Part Two: Let Me Die_

  
  
  
  
He could feel the power of the node before him, the metal fingers that caressed his marble flesh was leading him to a quintessence bath. The zoid that caressed him with motherly tenderness tromped into the liquid aquamarine goo, then her buster claw arm dunked down with Leon in tow. The white T-Rex zoid growled, her tail sloshing around in the goo, her senses were impaired somewhat. The buster claw opened, the statue sank for the bottom. Leon felt his body absorb the magic power, but he remained a statue made of marble.   
//I do love you, Leon!! I did have faith in you!! I still do!!! But now I can't tell you how special a man you are to me because you finally got your wish for death!!! Gods, Leon!!! Come back to me, Leon!!! COME BACK!!!!!// //You also need to realize when I casted the spell, I was still so very young. But that was over 10,000 years ago and I'm not so young and so weak anymore. Frankily, Karl, your lack of faith in me offends me. I thought YOU of all people knew what I'm all about. I guess my heart's been misplaced.//   
_Your tone was harsh. You knew all along that Karl had all faith and support in you._ Leon's eyes opened, he saw the aquamarine liquid swirl around him, then formed a female face. _Karl loved you, his tears were genuine._ "Karl.... I'm..... no. I finally got what I truly wanted--death." _The universe needs their defender but Karl needs his lover and Thomas needs his best friend. Death will not come to you easily, your mission is not yet fulfilled._ "No! I am dead! I want to stay that way!" _Do you want Karl to kill himself? Do you want Thomas to follow his lead? Your sacrifice only upset the Balance of Fate, it isn't your time. It isn't their time either. In fact, it wasn't even Hiltz's time. Your abuse of the Lord Ultimate is relevant to your emotional state. The gods are unpleased with it._ "Hiltz had to die!" _By killing yourself and Hiltz, you only ensured Zi's safety? You are wrong... you only prolonged the inevitable._ "What are you saying?" _Prozen is still alive and he's going to resurrect the Death Saurer again. Van and the Guardian Force doesn't have the will defeat him... Thomas Schubaltz is just as depressed as Karl. You were his best friend._ "Tommy.... I-i'm sorry." _They need you, they all do. Even Hermann. Even Camford._ "....Karl..." Leon's marble skin became flesh again, his eyes returned to life and he absorbed the quintessence in for himself. Something dove into the quintessence pool and scooped him up with the claws of the Buster Claw arm. Leon opened his eyes to see that he was nose-to-nose with a Berserk Fury. He moaned softly, he was in pain. _Leon... this is your new familiar, Belle Starr._ "Belle.... such a pretty name... for a pretty lady." Leon smirked weakily, despite the fact that it felt like hot knives stabbing him all over. Belle simply growled protestingly to Leon's struggling to get out of the buster claws. She opened her cockpit's canopy and gently set Leon inside. Inside the cockpit, he could hear a female voice talking to him. _Now rest up nice and good, ya'ear? Ah'll take ya back to Karl._ Leon closed his eyes and leaned back into the seat, falling asleep almost immediately. Belle looked at the pool of quintessence as the woman inside the pond formed in front of her. _Take care of him, Belle._ _Ah will, sugah._ Belle stomped out into the sunlight.   
  
"Manuevers, now!" Karl's new specially-made Great Zabre moved to avoid the fire of the new Redlers. He was barely able to escape, he didn't seem to have anticipated their newly-augmented speed and power. Huffing, the handsome blonde colonel looked up to see the black redlers making another pass. "Colonel Schubaltz, sir... you look pale, we can stop the exercises if you want to take a rest." "I'm fine." Karl reminded himself, trying desperately hard to return to the mindframe he's always been. But lately, it's harder for him to get into it without Leon by his side. Karl's façade was faltering and his soldiers can see it, they know he needs Leon... not only career-wise but emotionally as well. Leon's always been Karl's all, and without him, Karl is nothing. His deteriorating emotional health greatly worries them all. "Colonel Schubaltz isn't doing so good." Van remarked from the safety of the control tower. "Thomas isn't exactly over Leon himself." Moonbay reminded him, folding her arms. "The first three days, all Thomas wanted to do is work on something. Remember the emotional and mental state he was in from the insomnia?" "I remember, Moonbay. He almost attacked the Gustav and the Lightning Saix." "But Karl was in the hospital because he decided to slit his wrists with his military knife." Irvine poked Van in the arm, then folded his arms like so. "His impulse to grieve almost cost him his life and the Empire their greatest asset." "...true." Van looked at the testing ground, frowning sadly and looking very worried. "Colonel Schubaltz should at least try and talk to someone." ".... we been trying." The Redlers fired their missiles, Karl went to dodge when something gave way from under him. The Great Zabre's left hind leg fell apart, causing the tiger-zoid to buckle to the side. Karl was broad-sided by the missiles, the Zabre went flying and tumbling. The cockpit flew open and Karl was torn from the seat and flew to the ground with such force that his body twisted in a funny angle. The Zabre was a pile of rubble only feet away, the pilots of the Redlers frantically landed their zoids. "OHMYGODSOHMYGODSOHMYGODS!!! IS HE OKAY!?" "I'm too scared to move him! He might be paralyzed!" "...or dead!" "GET A MEDIC NOW!!!!!"   
  
Thomas walked into the rehabilitation room, flowers in his hands. The old woman stood up, her nurse's outfit a little wrinkled. Karl was really struggling to stay standing, the pain and anguish on Karl's face was easily present. The blonde colonel slumped to his knees, covered in sweat and tired from the strain. The younger brother helped him from the floor and to the wheelchair, he tucked Karl in with the quilt that was handstitched and given to Karl by Fiona. "Look up, Karl. Things will get better." "...I hope so." Karl responded, his hands encupping around something. Thomas saw that the item in Karl's hands was none other than a chibi-wizard plushie, given to Karl by Leon on the eve of an Imperial holiday. Karl's thumb played with the fluffy beard of the plushie, his lifeless green eyes closed. "...I hate to see you lose hope like this, Karl." Thomas carted the wheelchair to the elevator. "I know you loved Leon so much, but Leon's finally able to find some peace now. Peace he long deserved." "I don't want to sound so greedy, but I want to be with him in his Nirvana too! Why do you people keep me alive like this?? Why couldn't you have just left me dead in the bathtub!?" Karl gripped the plushie tightly, tears formed in his green eyes. "Why, Thomas!?" "Stop it, Karl!" Thomas shouted, then ran to the front of the wheelchair. "You got to pull yourself together! Leon wouldn't like it if you fell into this amount of despair so fast!" "Thomas!!! You don't get it, you _NEVER_ will!! Leon died thinking I had no faith in him... that I didn't love him for who he was and he died not knowing what a special man he truly was!!! He died thinking I loved him because he was a magic-god and he could do anything he wanted!!!" Karl shouted, tears falling down his pale cheeks, he started to cry, his face buried in his hands. "...Karl.... bruder." Thomas hugged his brother tightly, letting him cry on his shoulder.   
  
Leon was sound asleep in the cockpit of the Berserk Fury he knows as Belle. The sunset shined in the cockpit, barely illuminating it. Belle continued to tromp toward Guygalos at a snail's pace, she decided that using her boosters or anything will only lessen the time it takes for Leon to recover fully from being dead and ressurected. She hummed a tune in the cockpit, keeping Leon in perfect comfort.   
  


**-Continued-**


	3. Rain of Black Feathers

  
  
  


**Timeless**  
_Part Three: Fall of Black Feathers_

  
  
  
"Thanks again, Moonbay. I can't begin to thank you enough for your troubles." Thomas smiled as he sat in the seat beside her. Moonbay just simply smiled and looked at the open road. Karl remained in the backseat, just kinda quiet and introverted. He stared out the window, letting a small sigh escape his lips. "He just keeps getting worse and worse." Thomas frowned, looking back at his older brother. "Sometimes on certain days, it's really hard for me to get him to even talk." Moonbay frowned as the Gustav took off, the Blade Liger and Lightning Saix tromped up beside them. "I didn't like how when he was released from the hospital from attempted suicide, the Empire put him right back where he was. In my opinion, it makes it seem that the Empire, even through peacetime, doesn't give one the time to grieve fully. And that may be what's tearing Karl apart at the seams... because he never grieved for Leon in his own special way." "But Karl blames himself for things that were beyond his control..." "It's a common grief response." Moonbay smild at Thomas, then turned her attention on the open road. "It just goes to show one thing..." "Yes?" "That Karl Lichen Schubaltz _is_ human after all..." The Gustav, Blade Liger and Lightning Saix drudged through the desert as the sun above them burned so high. At the same time, under the same sun, Belle tromped to a large well and dove her head in, opening her canopy slightly to let water in. She lifted her head out of the well, the canopy opened to reveal the cockpit was full of water. Leon surfaced for air and shook his head like a wet dog, then gargled and spat. "You could have told me I needed a bath, Belle." Leon looked at Belle as the whole cockpit emptied of water. _Sorry, sugah... but ya looked like a baby when ya slept and now that y'all awake..._ "Forgiven. I can't stay mad at a lovely lady forever." Leon smirked, putting his wet hair in a ponytail. _Don't we just sound like a Don Juan?_ Belle chuckled, the canopy closed and Leon was strapped in. They continued to tromp through the endless hills of sand. _How do ya feel, Leon?_ "Much better." Leon answered, staring out through the red screen. "Belle, I think we need to turn a certain direction." _Why's that?_ "...the vultures. They're very active over there, that's a sign of many deaths..." Leon's violet eyes narrowed, his expression grim. _You got it!_ Belle kicked the boosters up and ripped toward the circle of vultures.   
  
"Van..." Irvine woke everyone up when he called out in total surprise. "Look up." From the Blade Liger, Van looked up with his dark eyes and blinked. "Vultures." "That's not all, Van. They are right over us." Irvine frowned, his expression bleak and morose. "And they have been for a while now." "They sense death." Thomas was observing as well, his green eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Or the fast approach of death. Vultures won't hang around like this unless they sense that someone is going to meet a quick demise in a very short time span." Moonbay looked back at their intended cargo, Karl was still sitting up in his seat, staring at the path ahead of them. His feline-like green eyes, in their strain to remain awake, suddenly sprang to life as a cold, grim premonition washed over his mind's eye. Karl blinked and shook his head, drenched in a cold sweat. "Van!! Get out of the way now!!!" "Colonel!?" "DO IT!" Van went to strafe when a particle beam narrowly missed incinerating the Blade Liger. "WHOA!!!" "WHAT THE HELL!?" Thomas sat up from his seat as their assailant came into view. "I-it's Raven!!!" The Geno Breaker stood on a sand dune, the sunset reflecting on its' red armor. Raven smirked his cocky smirk and ran his fingers through his black hair like so. "I must really commend you, Colonel Schubaltz... now that your magic-casting fuck toy is no longer by your side, you gained precognition of your own device..." "...." Karl's eyes narrowed, he snarled as his hands tightened and white-knuckled. "Raven! You bastard!" Van and Irvine shielded the Gustav with their zoids. "How dare you!? Attack us while we're down...!!" "It's the only way I can assure an easy victory and to get you all out of my hair once and for all." Raven grinned, then dove at them with the Geno Breaker. The T-Rex zoid slapped the Lightning Saix with the claw-shield and sent Irvine flying into the sand. Next, he zapped Van into the sand with some missiles, but Raven turned his attention on the Gustav. "....Damn it....!" Thomas snarled, now in the backseat, shielding his brother. "WE NEED A MIRACLE!!!" The Geno Breaker grabbed the Gustav and with incredible strength, he flipped it over onto its' side. Moonbay and the brothers braced for impact, the canopy flew open and the three tumbled out. Karl tried very desperately to stand, crying to the heavens in pain as hot tears poured down his cheeks. Raven smirked and went to stomp them when he was blasted from the side by a powerful force. The Geno Breaker turned to face their new adversary, that was when Raven first got glimpse of the Berserk Fury's silhouette on the sunset sand dune. "Step on them, Raven.... and I'll make you fish them out from the depths of Hell...." Leon's voice sounded, causing everyone to stir. "Aethelwulf!?!?!" Raven's eyes widened, his jaw dropped. "You're.... you're...." "I _was_ dead. But I got better." Leon smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Oh how I SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO longed for the moment to smack the pretty offa your face... and you don't have Minister Mop-Head to back you up... think you can survive 50 rounds with me, kiddo?" "I'll send you back to Hell..." Raven smirked, but before he could move, he was headrammed by the Berserk Fury and sent flying backward into the sand. "AUGH!!!" "Did I neglect to tell you that my familiar too, likes Karl?" "THAT WAS A DIRTY TRICK!!" Raven snarled, and dove at the Berserk Fury. Belle opened her left buster claw and got the Geno Breaker in a choke hold, she boxed the Geno Breaker with the butt of the second buster claw, after she was finished, she tossed the Geno Breaker to the side. Now both buster claws were out and extended, Belle roared a dirge to the damned. "....frankily, Raven... I once pitied you because of Prozen's cruelty and hatred and how it stuck on to you and imprinted you to be the same. But today... here and now... there is no excuse for it. The worst thing in my long life that I cannot simply tolerate is the feeling of having my feelings and notions misplaced...." Leon was now in front of the Gustav, Blade Liger and Lightning Saix. "Get over yourself." Raven got up out of the sand and smirked, his eyes cold and unyielding. Lightning flashed before them, causing Raven to look around in surprise. "Do you know why vultures circle when there is going to be deaths...?" Leon's voice was monotone and without pity. "Vultures are one of the most potent forms in existence... to measure out the lifespan of one who is going to die. Where magic fails and buckles to the winds of time, their insight rules supreme..." "I know the story behind vultures, Aethelwulf..." Raven grinned, the Geno Breaker getting into position. "...you don't know the full story, Raven. They're here for _**YOU.**_" "...!!!!!!" Raven's eyes widened, for a split second in his viewscreen, Leon took on a new form. "...you.... you are not human.... has... has the Devil come to collect his dues?? H-has the Devil come for me??" "...." The Berserk Fury got into stance to fire her particle beam, the Geno Breaker doing the same. "I AM NO GOING TO LET THE DEVIL TAKE ME!!!!" Raven went into hysterics, his hands gripped the controls tightly. He broke into a cold sweat, Raven screamed in terror. For the first time.... he knew fear. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed, time has suddenly seemed to stop around them. Leon remained calm and collected as Raven freaked out in his Geno Breaker. They both fired the particle guns simultaniously, but the Berserk Fury's stream tore right through Raven's and engulfed the Geno Breaker in its' own. "AAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH------!!!!!" "...Devil never cry, Raven. Devil never cry." A lone claw shield was all that remained of the Geno Breaker, Belle went out of stance and roared in triumph, kicking the ground behind her in a stomp of victory. The buster claws went back into non-combat mode. The canopy opened and Leon jumped up, taking three steps toward the overturned Gustav. Karl opened his eyes to the wonderful surprise, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Thomas smiled with joy upon seeing Leon's handsome face again. With incredibly shaky legs, Karl staggered up onto his feet. His younger brother rushed for his side, but Karl shook his head politely and carefully took his first step. Staggering, his legs very shaky and unstable, his steps were slow and uneven... but Karl continued toward Leon. 3/4 of the way there, the handsome Imperial colonel reached for his immortal lover, taking another shaky step. Leon smiled peacefully and joyfully, his arms extended, waiting for Karl to fall into them. Thomas, Van, and Moonbay watched in surprise as Karl triumphantlly reached his intended destination by himself. They embraced the other in warm, loving and hungry arms, blood tears fell down Leon's cheeks. Warm, salty tears streaked down Karl's dirty cheeks as well, his cheek on Leon's shoulder. "I'm sorry, kitten.... for ever doubting you and your love..." "Don't talk." Karl held Leon tightly, unable to let go. "You're home.... with me.... that's all that really matters." "Home..." Leon spoke softly, his lips touched Karl's tear-soaked cheek. "I am home.... and there is no place I'd rather be..." "Welcome home, Leon..." Karl smiled before their lips cuffed over the other's.   
  
  


**--Continued--**


	4. Fate's Cruel Tricks

  
  
  


**Timeless**  
_Part Four: Fate's Cruel Tricks_

  
  
  
"But, you destroyed the Death Stinger. How can the gods be that cruel? Don't they care about human life?" Van asked, hearing Leon's reason for everything before them. "My casting of the Lord Ultimate on the Death Stinger and Hiltz is how you call... the monkey wrench in the gears. You see, Flyheight, fate and destiny may seem like great and wonderful things in the eyes of the ignorant... But I had seen for way too long their downgrading jokes. The overall rule of fate and destiny is this: _No matter how great the victory is, there is always tragedy ten times greater than the victory itself._" "So everything that's happened up to this point is the fates' way of getting even?" "Yes." Leon sat by the camp torch, staring into the blue flames. "Leon..." Karl stroked Leon's long black tresses, his fingers entwined with each silky strand. "I don't care if it was fate that did all this. What matters is, it's the same fates that brought you back to me." "Yes..." Leon pulled Karl into his arms and smiled, but his smile faded when he saw the look on Van's face. "Something wrong, Flyheight?" "You said... great victories are shadowed by greater tragedies. Does that apply to everyone?" "No one is immune to the great scheme of things." "That confirms it." "What?" Moonbay asked, her attention on Van. Van stood up and turned toward the Blade Liger, his hands loosely on his hips. "These series of dreams I been having... dreams of sorrow and loss." "Explain." "I can't seem to, even to Aethelwulf. It's all a big blur but when I wake up... I'm usually crying." Van frowned, then turned back up to the Blade Liger. "It's like I lose something when I destroy our ultimate opponent." "Triumph and tragedy are bedfellows in the face of war." Leon adjusted his glassed, his words brought a small degree of comfort to Van. "Well, we should turn in for the night." Moonbay stretched, yawning. "We got a lot of road to cover before entering Lucca." "Lucca? As in Lucca Harbor?" Leon asked sternly, standing up to look at the others. "Leon, we have to take Karl back to Heimatland, he is in no condition to lead and to fight anymore!" Van pointed out, his eyes stared into Leon's. "He already attempted suicide twice and he can barely walk anymore because of a serious spinal injury!" "Leon, please... stay with Karl and let us handle Prozen." Irvine asked politely, he folded his arms slightly. "It's no point to get killed again." "That's right." Moonbay replied, a smile on her face. "You are no good to us dead again." "And odds are, Hiltz is back from the dead as well." Van put his hand on Leon's shoulder. "Your zoid is more than enough to handle Hiltz... and Karl needs you more than life itself." "Alright." Leon nodded, complying to their request. "I'll take Karl home and stay with him." He smiled sweetly and contently, then stretched and yawned. "But I think I'll take Moonbay on her offer for sleep."   
  
"Leon?" Leon opened his eyes, only to look into Karl's handsome smiling face as he played with some of the blue strands of hair. Karl's shirt was half-buttoned and he was struggling to get comfortable. Leon spotted the wheelchair by his sleeping bag, and the overturned quilt. "You should be in your bag, Karl." Leon whispered, letting him slip into the bag with him. "I wanted to talk to you about a few things." Karl answered quietly, his soft expression went back to his serious, rock-hard gaze. "Yes?" Karl looked back at the sleeping campers and back at Leon. "I want to return to active duty. Thomas insisted I retired..." "But from the stories I heard, you needed to... if only until you are able to perform again. I knew that you wouldn't accept your paralyzation at a permenant affliction. You're much too strong to succumb to defeat. I mean, you took on the entire Republican army with a killer headcold." Karl just kinda chuckled and looked up at the stars, Leon did the same, sighing deeply. "What was Hell like?" Karl asked out of the blue, looking at his lover and partner-in-crime. "Nice place to visit but wouldn't want to roast there for all eternity." Leon smirked in his usual way, looking at Karl. The colonel smirked and looked back at the stars. Then a frown found itself back on Karl's face. "I want to return to active duty, Leon. I don't feel right sitting around and doing nothing while the others fight the battles for me." "I know, Karl." Leon turned onto his side, facing Karl, there was a sparkle in his indigo eyes. "Leon..." Karl leaned forward, their lips softly touched at first. "Heal me, Leon..." Leon kissed Karl again and again, each kiss getting more passionate and erotic. Clinging to the black fabric of Leon's uniform, the retired colonel's body trembled with unmatched desire and lust. But there was sorrow in Karl's eyes, sorrow that Leon easily saw and picked up on. Instead of doing his normal sexual acts, Leon stroked Karl's cheek with his hand, his thumb against Karl's lips. "Don't be sad, Karl... sorrow doesn't look good on you." Leon smiled compassionately, then kissed the blonde again. "Oh Leon... you...." Karl smiled as a tear fell, then he kissed Leon's thumb. "You always find a way to make me feel better." "We'll surprise them all, kitten... just you wait. We'll knock 'em all dead." The exemplar kissed Karl's cheek and pulled him in his arms. "Now, let's get some sleep... we got another day's worth of traveling to go to get to Lucca Harbor."   
  
  


**--Continued--**


	5. Reflections

  
  
  


**Timeless**  
_Part Five: Reflections_

  
  
  
  
**Colonel-Sama's Scribblings--** _As a reviewer pointed out, the first chapter of Sorceror was sub-standard to the accomplishments I am normally able to procure. The truth is, I'm in poor health because of my mental illness and my diabetes, I'm very stressed and my insomnia has taken full rein of everything else. As I'm typing this, I been without sleep for 3 days straight. Please forgive the half-assedness..._   
  
  
"This is the final step on the psychic spinal reconstruction surgery." Leon sighed as he adjusted his technomancer-visors, the color of the visors made his eyes look like a muddy brown color. But at the same time, the images and scanners picked up the remaining work that needed to be done to enable Karl to walk again. Leon reached into Karl's back, his hand not at all breaking the skin, nor was there blood dripping. With a simple and quick pinch and tug, the spinal column was in full function, Leon pulled his hand up from the wound. Breathing a sigh of relief, the handsome immortal Imperial major lifted up the visor, making it vanish before him. Leon ripped the latex glove from his hand, throwing it into the trash. Thunder rumbed around them, the lightning illuminating the stained glass windows of the ancestral home of Clan Schubaltz. The stained glass depicted knights and maidens, a proud history of a long-standing family of honored warriors. Karl moaned softly, he began to shift awake, his lethargic green eyes looked around listlessly. Leon's hand tenderly stroked Karl's ash-blonde hair, comforting him with a gentle hand and warm smile. "You'll still be confined to a wheelchair, love... but only for a couple more days. Then we'll test out those legs of yours." "Leon...." Karl spoke, his voice drained and sort of labored. "Rest, love." Leon put his fingers on the colonel's lips, then he smiled again. Karl closed his eyes once again, letting the effects of the sedatives consume him once more. Carefully picking Karl up and carrying him down the darkened hallway, the mage's indigo eyes remained focused on the path at hand. The doors creeked open with well-placed telekinesis, he set Karl down on the fluffy, royal-like bed, then carefully covered him with the layers of comforters and blankets. Leon looked up at the window, the patterns in the windowsills kinda told a story of ages past. The cast iron was definately looking its' weathered age, and there were some overgrown ivy vines covering the window a bit. There were also lotus designs in the iron frame of the windowsills, almost Ancient Egyptian-like. The ancestral home of Clan Schubaltz was overlooking an emerald fjord with crystal clear waters that reflected the lightning with unmatched beauty and luster. The plantlife on this fjord was lush and green, Leon could almost pick up the Springtime flowers off to one side. This castle, Castle Eisen-Kreuz, was definatelly a treasure of the Empire's vast wealth. The Empire does a good job making sure Old Blood-Lines stay blue-blooded, providing the loyalty of its' people. But the Empire had no problems with the Clan Schubaltz in the past, so fundage was whole-heartedly dealt. [_If I'm alive, odds are that Hiltz is too._] Leon's eyes narrowed, his hand touched the cold, damp window. [_Before he'll enter the lost Zoidian civilization, he'll try to come after us... after all, it was I who landed him in the pine box. He'll want revenge._] Lightning flashed before him, Leon felt a little more at ease with the storm surging around them. His elemental affinity was always with thunderstorms thanks to the nature of his mage-avatar, so it is fitting that he felt at ease in the thickest and most severe of storms. It was almost as if the lightning god, Alastor was trying to sing to Leon a lullaby using the intricate and intense raw power of lightning. Pulling away from the window, Leon looked at the sleeping Karl, Karl's beauty was untouched by the throes of war. In fact, it seemed that the wisdom associated with war has made him even more beautiful. But it's not just Karl's physical beauty that draws Leon to the Imperial colonel like a moth to a flame. At first, that was the case, but seeing that Karl can be as tough as steel with a will made of reinforced iron in the face of his enemies where normally his touch was soft as silk and light as a feather, Leon fell so deep into love. Karl is Karl when he's thrown into a combat situation, that is where he is at his most beautiful. Seriousness and determination in his voice, ice in his veins as sweat glistened off his hard muscles and effeminate face, the Karl Leon most admired was the Karl that spat in the face of whoever he was fighting against. And seeing him return to this angel of war, Leon's heart became more clearer, more enthralled. Karl's will and determination to finally end the bloody reign of Hiltz's was so strong that even Leon's avatar buckled under its' weight. [_Schlaf gut, meine Kriegblume. Morgen ist ein Tag von Wundern und von Versuchen._]  
Translation: Sleep well, my war flower. Tomorrow is a day of wonders and trials.   
  
  
"We seemed to have lost sight of the Death Stinger, sir." Fiona looked up at Hermann, the Republican colonel's eyes widened with anger and shock. He looked down at Fiona, his gaze dead serious. "How can you lose something that big!?" "I don't know, sir! It just seemed to have vanished without cause or justification." The Pteras patrol flew over a section of the islands, O'Connell's dark grey eyes scanning the scenary. The mountains were shown before a beautiful sunset, the reds, oranges and yellows painted a wonderful and serene picture. The Pteras circled the island twice before returning to the Ultrasaurus. "It seems the Death Stinger vanished, sir." O'Connell's expression told everyone of fatigue, exhaustion and anger rolled into one big package. "I think it left into the ocean and is heading somewhere." Fiona let out a gasp, the Zoidian turned around to face Van as he watched the screen consoles. "Van..." "Yes, Fiona?" "I-isn't Lucca Harbor near these islands? Isn't Heimatland also near the vicinity?" "Heimatland?? That means Hiltz is going after Schubaltz and Aethelwulf!!!"   
  
"You're doing a good job, love." Leon's arm wrapped around Karl's waist, the colonel's legs shook as he walked. It was a new sensation to an ability he had since he was 1, Karl needed to learn how to walk again. The lightning flashed in the stained glass windows of the hallway, lighting their way, Leon and Karl continued slowly to the dining hall. Karl's foot gave out from under him, causing him to topple against Leon. The blue-and-black-haired Imperial exemplar caught his mortal lover as he fell. "I'm sorry, Leon..." Karl huffed, breathless and his face pouring with sweat. He clung to Leon's shirt and pulled himself up again, his strength of will fueling the need to walk again. The door was only feet away, Karl didn't need the flashing of lightning to see this. He reached for the doorknob, letting go of Leon for the first time. Slowly and shakingly, the ash-blonde Imperial Colonel walked for the doors, using the golden knob as a guideline. His fingers touched the doors, Karl collapsed against the door, huffing and smiling triumphantly. "I did it. I did it, Leon!" "I'm proud of you, Karl-kitten." Leon smiled proudly, then opened the door for Karl. "We'll rest for a few minutes before we try this again." "Alright. I'm starved, wonder what Mikas is cooking." Karl stepped into the room, followed by Leon. But before Leon entered the room, he looked at the stained glass window in which was looking at the fjord, his indigo eyes narrowed suspiciously. "I hate ghosts." He muttered venom under his breath, then entered the dining hall.   
  
  


**--Continued--**


	6. Forever Yours

  
  
  


**Timeless**  
_Part Six: Forever Yours_

  
  
  
"That's great, you're walking much better than you did a few days ago." Leon couldn't help but smile and congratulate his lover for the progress he's made. His hands touched Karl's pink cheeks softly before kissing him again and again, each kiss more passionate than the first. "Soon, kitten... I'll teach you to run." "I think I got that down." Karl smiled, a lively sparkle in his green eyes, the sun shined in the stained glass windows of the ballroom. The cast iron window frames also took the shape of Ancient Egyptian lotuses, also the shape of three-leaf clovers and falcons. Golden sunlight and crisp Summer air warmed the hallway in which Leon was showing Karl how to walk again, the sun made the scarlet carpet return to the vibrant bright red it used to be. Although not much in use, Karl and Thomas's elder sister, Bianca made it a mission to keep the castle spotless for the day Karl and/or Thomas decided to come home from the military and retire in luxury. More often than not, Schubaltz males who survived wars and conflict and retired from the military, did so being pampered and treated like knights who faded from Imperial eyes with grace and glory. Those who had to retire thanks to injury were given all the honor and reverance of a fallen hero. It was no doubt that Clan Schubaltz was Heimatland's jewel, if it wasn't for them, Heimatland would have just been a hole-in-the-wall territory of the Empire. The sound of heels hitting marble was heard rising up the stairs before them. Leon and Karl turned in that direction to see a 30-year-old woman with long blonde hair and green eyes walking up the stairs. She wore a nice lavender summer dress with and a Summer hat with a couple of lilies attached to it. She curtseyed to her younger brother and smiled, she handed Karl some mail and slid her shades off her face. "Bianca, how's the family handling things?" "Vater and muter still cannot believe that their prodical son was injured like so. Muter hadn't stopped weeping for days." Bianca laughed, she definatelly had a strong German accent, her eyes admired Leon in all his glory. She coughed and adjusted her hat, Bianca slid her hands under Karl's collar and adjusted his shirt. "You're getting sloppy, Karl. Your collar is uneven and your hair is a mess." "Sorry." "I'll be sure that Karl gets his bath in." Leon spoke in a semi-mocking tone, a typical, Leon-esque smirk on his handsome face. "Good." Bianca slid her shades back on her face and turned toward the staircase to leave. "The cleaning crew will be over to clean the castle. They'll spend all day doing so, it'll be a good idea to swim in the fjord. In this summer heat, it'll be a great idea. Maybe then you can test my bruder's legs by making him swim a few laps." "Sounds like a good idea." Leon nodded, his blue hair against the chiseled jawline. Bianca smiled gratefully at the Exemplar, a relieved expression in her green eyes. "I'm glad Karl has found you, Mjr Aethelwulf. I don't think I'd have the willpower to bring him to where he is today." "You'll be surprised how resiliant people truly are, even in the face of something this daunting." "I wish I had your sentiment... Samara is testing my patience... and the patience of our parents." Bianca's eyes narrowed bitterly, Karl frowned and folded his arms, responding all too well about their youngest sibling. "Samara still gold-digging, is she?" Karl retorted very bitterly, a side of him Leon was shocked to see but now has seen it. "Ja." Bianca frowned and looked back at Karl's true-love and adjusted her shades again. "Watch yourself, Major. Samara is a slut in every sense of the word. She is one who puts the honorable name Schubaltz to great shame. Samara is not above marrying old rich men very close to death's door and watch them die to make sure she inherits their money... and Samara is not above putting a wedge between Karl, Thomas and I's lovelives for her own amusement." "I'm the Exemplar, baby. Never underestimate me." Leon's eyebrow quirked as a sly grin crept on his pouty lips. But the expression melted and he nodded understandably. "Thank-you for the warning, Bianca." "You're much obliged. I'd rather see Karl happy than Samara scratch a notch in her wall..." Bianca walked down the stairs and vanished down the grand hallway, Leon cleaned his glasses. "Bianca is a nice girl." Leon looked at his ash-haired lover, then his hands slid on Karl's cheeks. "Don't worry, Samara isn't gonna get between us that easily... she better come packing because it's way passed her bedtime." Karl smirked at that remark, his arms slid around Leon's neck and his cheek perched on Leon's broad shoulder. "Now, how about that bath?"   
  
  
"The Death Stinger doesn't seem to have Heimatland on mind, his destination is weird." Fiona looked up at Hermann as he watched the radar as well, the Republican colonel frowned and looked at Thomas and Van. "What's in that vicinity, Colonel Hermann?" The dark-haired Blade Liger pilot asked, curious. "Hmm... let's see here. Go to map screen." The VR map appeared on the viewscreen, Hermann plotted the supposed course of the Death Stinger. "That area of the Republic is uninhabitable because of the snow and ice and the mountains." "Sounds like Hiltz to lead us there." Irvine retorted bitterly, his arms folded across his manly chest. "That's not all though." Captain Jake O'Connell pointed out, the VR map scanned the penninsula there Hiltz was heading for. "There's a shrine there. At first when we found it, we thought they were Zoidian ruins but the language and carvings were much different than any Zoidian text we ever seen." "What kind of writing are we talking about, O'Connell?" Van asked, looking up at the GF liaison, worry in his eyes. "Take a look." O'Connell pointed as the screens enlarged to show the writing, even Fiona hasn't seen anything like it, their eyes stared at the weird symbolisms and the statues surrounding the shrine. "Hey! Check it out!" Thomas pointed to one of the knight statues, his green eyes widened with shock. "Magnify please?" The screen magnified the image, giving everyone a clear view of the rune on the knight's forehead. Thomas was the very first to find out the origins of that symbol. "It's the Mage's Cross." "M-mage's Cross?? That means this shrine is a burial temple to fallen mages! Hiltz brought us here to bear witness to its' destruction!" "NO!!!" Fiona shouted, having to be held back by Thomas and Irvine, her eyes widened in horror. "HE CAN'T!" "He is!" The Death Stinger's tail surfaced out of the water and the particle cannon activated. The occupants watched in horror and helplessness as the temple was destroyed by the Death Stinger's powerful cannon, then like a ghost upon the water, the Death Stinger submerged again. "DAMN IT!" Hermann shouted, pounding his fist in the console, his teeth clenched in bitter anger. "NO!!!!" Fiona screamed, watching the remains of the temple smoke and smulder into ash. "..." Hermann composed himself and looked up at the viewscren once again, his bluish-green eyes watered painfully and his fingers white-knuckled under the pressure of clinging to the panel. "...where is the Death Stinger heading?" Hesitantly, O'Connell asked the radar operators. "....north by northwest." "Follow it." "Yes, sir."   
  
  


**--Continued--**


	7. Luce

  
  
  


**Timeless**  
_Part Seven: Luce_

  
  
  
  
**Colonel-sama's scribblings:** _Luce_ is Italian for 'Light'   
  
  
The door opened, a tall, muscular silhouette walked into the dim room with something in his hand. The more he stepped into the light, the more it revealed rough, greasy tuffs of teal hair and a war-worn face. His hand gripped the stirofoam cup with fatigue and sleep-deprivation aching each muscle very painfully. The figure spotted another staring out the window, mournfully pressing his forehead against the glass. Rain fell around the Ultrasaurer and when thunder boomed, it rocked the insides of the Ultrasaurer. "Hermann? Is that you?" The man lifted himself off the glass, it was indeed Hermann... and he looked like he was in horrible state of mental health. O'Connell walked up the platform stairs and tenderly placed his hand on Hermann's weary shoulder, the Republican colonel turned back toward the sea. "Those mages... they didn't even stand a chance. They had no warning, no way of knowing... Hiltz destroyed them just like that, without cause or provocation..." "...it is sad when you think about it." O'Connell turned to look at the sea with Hermann, with the shattered temple far behind them... all that remains was to linger and mourn. "...but weren't those Aethelwulf's people?" "...." Hermann slammed his forehead in the glass again, then his fist hit the glass harshly, with brute force and pent-up rage. "Rob!! Don't!" O'Connell held Hermann back, the colonel slammed his fist in the glass again, getting it to budge and crack a bit. "What's wrong with you!?" "Aethelwulf... I just realized...." Hermann blinked, the tears finally escaped his stone-cold eyes and fell down his cheeks. "Aethelwulf is the last Malfaesian alive..."   
  
  
"A swim will do you good, Karl." Leon smiled, holding two beach towels and a bottle of sunscreen. He took off his shades and looked at the crystal clear water of the fjord, the water did look so inviting. He dropped the items and dove into the water, his long black and blue ponytail flopping in the breeze. Karl watched as he made a splash and swam under the water, then surface. "Jump, Karl! The water's fine!" Karl slowly set down the crutch and dove into the water, however there was a cramp in his leg. Karl thrashed for the surface but couldn't make it. Leon dove underwater and helped him surface, Karl huffed and puffed with breathlessness. "My leg cramped up." Karl explained breathlessly, his arm around Leon's shoulders. "We'll take this slowly, okay?" Leon nodded once, then helped Karl swim laps around the fjord. After a good swim, the cramp in Karl's leg slowly faded, he started to swim on his own. Although he was not as fast as he usually is, Karl was making good use of his legs. Leon turned to face his ash-blonde lover and smiled, he took his hair out of the ponytail. "Wanna swim underwater?" "Sure." Leon took Karl by the hand and they dove underwater, the crystal blue water mixed with the Summer sun illuminated the floor of the fjord. They swam deeper down toward the floor, Leon put a dagger to his lips and fished through the sand and soot. Figuring the fjord was testing grounds for the young males of Clan Schubaltz concerning Warsharks, Sinkers and Hammer Heads, this place would be littered with parts and garbage and the water would be murky and unswimmable. But this was not the case, the water was crystal clear and there was no such trash on the floor bottom. Leon poked around in the sand, a crab surface and crawled away, then some small fish swam away in a fury to get away. Karl reached into the sand and pulled something out, catching Leon's attention. He took the shell in his hand and tried to pry it open with the dagger. He opened his hand to Karl, revealing a pearl, the colonel smiled and they swam to the surface for air. "This is great. I'm finally able to do the things I am normally able to do." Karl swam around a bit on his back. "This is great indeed, you're very close to recovering. Soon you'll be at full strength." Leon watched with pride as his superior officer, his best friend, and his true love swam around with triumph. [_A man will cry and whine to the gods about why the world hates them because they get a papercut. Yet when faced with incredible odds and disabilities, tears, self-pity, sorrow and loathing are non-existent. Replaced by determination and perserverance.... humans are inmistakably resilliant._] Before anything else happened, Leon suddenly turned his attention at the castle, his eyes widened in a look of shock. A vision braced his Mind's Eye, visions of blood and death filled his psychic mind. Leon closed his eyes, feeling a change of scenery... he was in the bedroom of the castle, where Karl and him were sleeping. There was someone else in the bedroom with them, a woman with long, straight dark brown hair and red lips. She wore a red cocktail dress and carried a dagger in her hand, on that dagger was the patterns of a demonic wolf. She walked closer to the bed, the dagger dripped with blood. Leon turned around to see another figure by the door, his eyes narrowed angrily. _Hiltz..._ "LEON!" Leon snapped out of his vision and turned to face Karl, who was trying to shake him awake. "What's wrong? You zoned out for a second!" "I received a vision..." "Vision? A premonition?" "...a forbodding one." "...." "Come, let's go for a walk around the fields." "S-sure."   
  
  
The bridge of the Ultrasaurer was empty and dark, the only one in the room was Colonel Hermann. He was half-asleep in the chair, something in his hand. He tipped forward, putting whatever he had in his hand to his lips and taking a big swig of the contents in the bottle. Lurching forward, the blonde Republican colonel moaned and staggered and swayed. He was drunk beyond words, it was a while since he tasted alcohol and he liked what he tasted. Hermann drowned his worries with the last bottle of vodka in the Ultrasaurer. The door behind him slowly opened and a figure stepped inside, he could smell the thick scent of alcohol in the room. "Rob?" "Coming!" Hermann's voice was slurred, he staggered up and did a very bad salute. The bottle dropped from his hand, spilling the contents on the floor. Hermann swore and went to clean up the spilled vodka. "Hermann! What on Zi are you doing?! Are you drunk!!?" "I'm not drunk, O'Connell." The 29-year-old Colonel staggered around a bit and then sat back down in his chair. O'Connell stepped up to the chair, placing his hands on Hermann's arm. "Come on, let's sober you up." "He killed... innocent.... people...." Hermann growled, pounding his fist in the chair. "I know..." O'Connell suddenly found himself pulling Hermann into his arms, holding him close. "It should have never been." "Mages! Of all people... MAGES! Malfaesian mages!" Hermann gripped O'Connell's shirt tightly, almost weeping in his shirt. "Malfaesian mages.... who decided to use Zi as a place of solitude and sanctuary.... the Republic and the Empire both agreed to grant them sanctuary....!! We failed them, Jake!! We failed the survivors of Leon's race!!" "Rob..." O'Connell pulled him closer, letting the drunk Hermann cry in his shirt.   
  
  


**--Continued--**


	8. Ombra

  
  
  


**Timeless**  
_Part Eight: Ombra_

  
  
  
**Colonel-sama's scribblings--** 'Ombra' is Italian for 'Dark'   
  
  
  
"Entering Heimatland seaspace now, sir." "Good, as soon as we're close enough, deploy the Hammerheads and search for that fjord." Hermann instructed from his seat, his hands together in a silent prayer. "Odds are, Hiltz is hiding there and waiting to strike Castle Eisen-Kreuz down with one shot of his cannon." "Yessir." Van approached the chair of the colonel and cleared his throat, Hermann looked up at him. "Want something, Flyheight?" "Permission, sir, but I'd like to go out in the Blade Liger to warn Colonel Schubaltz and Major Aethelwulf." "Knowing Aethelwulf and his godly status, he'd already know." Hermann replied, then stood up until he was almost nose-to-nose with Van. "But it wouldn't hurt to tell Schubaltz and Aethelwulf that we got 'em covered. Go out onto the shore with Lt. Schubaltz and get to Castle Eisen-Kreuz as soon as possible." "Yessir." Van and Thomas saluted and headed for the hangars. "Seems like you're going home, Thomas." "Seems like it." Thomas smirked and opened the canopy hatch to the DiBison, he turned to Van and cleared his throat as well. "Heimatland speaks a different language than most places, Heimatlandese has not really been translated for the Republicans, but then again, there is a strong anti-Republican sentiment here even with the war being over." "Why is that?" Van frowned at that scenario, the canopy lowering over him. "It's the propoganda bullshit that the last Emperor and the Late Minister Prozen forcefed to them for years. It's become instinctual instead of logical that all Republicans are bad." They stomped onto the elevator and allowed themselves to get lifted up, Thomas let the Beek helmet slide on his head. "...I see." The dark-haired Republican frowned and looked out the window. "Even with all the peace and civility there are still some that share that kind of mentality." "Sad, really." Thomas frowned as well, the zoids were loaded onto the shore and took off. "Yes, yes it is."   
  
A young woman in her late teens walked through the garden near Castle Eisen-Kreuz, her dark brown hair glistened in the Summer sunset. She looked around the garden, making sure no one tailed her, then stepped into the courtyard of the palace. Standing there by the fountain was a figure in red and black, he had red hair that was in a perm and cold black eyes. Next to him was a red, dragon-like organoid with green eyes, it growled when she approached. "Samara Schubaltz." The man smiled, taking her hands in his, a plotting smile on his lips. "The slut..." "....don't call me that." Samara snapped at him, her blue eyes burning into his. Samara was different than the others, she didn't look like a Schubaltz, she was cursed of being a child produced from infidelity. Karl scornfully shunned her and blatantly refused to acknowledge her as a Schubaltz, Thomas and Bianka picked on her without mercy, her father wanted NOTHING to do with her because she was not his and she was constantly harassed at the academy. Many schoolmates taunted on the fact that her blood is not pure, that she doesn't deserve the honor and reverence of being called a Schubaltz. Samara began to resent her family name, so much that she started to try and smear it... without sucess. Every trick she has done has only tarnished her reputation and not her family's. The death of the heir is her last 'fuck you' to her hated bloodline. "What? A slut?" "I rather be called a slut than a Schubaltz." Samara frowned, fire in her blue eyes, then leaned forward until she was nose-to-nose with Hiltz. "The plan is still on?" "Yes, after you kill Colonel Schubaltz and disable Aethelwulf, return to the fjord for further instructions." Hiltz pulled away and walked through the brush, leaving Samara kissing air. She groaned and turned toward the gates, walking through the plantlife until she came to a line of black lilies growing in the flowerpots. Her eyes narrowed, she grabbed the sheers from behind her and went to snip them all. They were ripped out of her hand with an unseen force, the sheers impaled themselves deeply in the jugular of the angel statue only feet away. Samara blinked, seeing the sheers so far in the marble statue, but not seeing anything around her to cause this, Samara ran out of the garden in a panic. From behind a shadowy pillar, a dark figure stepped out, revealing his presence. It was Leon, and he heard the whole entire thing. Deciding to follow her, Leon kept one hand on his opposite arm and caught up with her. He grabbed her from under the arm and forced her in one direction. "Who the hell are you and what do you want with me!?" Samara shouted, kicking him in the knee, but she stepped back when she saw the kick did nothing to him at all although it would have shattered kneecaps of normal men. "...what are you is more like it. Wait a minute, you're that man that my _darling_ older brother is with, aren't you?" "Why do you hate your family so much as to want to kill them?" Leon asked, a mixture of pity and anger in his indigo eyes. "Save your pity for that useless gimp of an Imperial colonel." Samara tried to break from Leon's grasp but found she couldn't even get him to budge. "Let go." "Tell me... now. Don't make me mind control you." "You really want to know?" Samara asked, scornfully and full of acid. "Well, I'm 17 years old and I'm going nowhere with my life. Why? Because all my life, people refused to refer to me as a true Schubaltz. My step-father wanted nothing to do with me, he'd lock me in closets constantly... Karl, spoiled rich mama's boy Karl, scornfully shunned me as his younger sister and used to be very brutal to me. And Bianka and Thomas weren't the nicest siblings in the world either... and my birth mother flourished her attention on Karl and Bianka more than me and I was often left to fend for myself. How do you like that, Mr. Screw Toy?" ".... so you're bitter because your family was being that... a family. Let me tell you something about ostracism and the consequences of lashing out. Let me tell you about what happened to a planet called Earth. 1000 years ago, I was an inhabitant of a planet ruled by religious prejudices and social conformity... anyone breaking from either **was burned at the fucking stake with NO MERCY.**" Leon was in her face when he shouted that, his eyes now white and fairly demonic instead of bearing any human resemblances. "You hate your family... well, GOOD! They hate you too! If you are so unhappy about them, LEAVE... Karl and Bianka are not forcing you stay! But if you are staying, then dry up the waterworks, Little Miss Priss!!! On second thought... you better leave. I saw you with Hiltz, I know what you're going to do...." "You.... were listening to me? How dare you??" "Cry a river, build a bridge and get over it!" Leon snarled, throwing her into the mud. "Anyone who is trying to hurt Karl or his family to further themselves shall be fought off and will deserve mercy or remorse. I shall shed no tear for your passing because you don't deserve it... not because of your sob story either.... I cry for those who deserve the tears.... but as for you. You make me laugh.... only mockingly and bitterly. You would rather see your family in pine boxes and disgraced than just leaving to pursue a new life." "...you don't understand.... NONE OF YOU WILL!" "Must I? I know vengeance all too well. I don't need a lecture." Leon walked for the castle, but turned to look at her as the thunder began to rumble. "You got until the count of 1 to leave or I wipe you off the face of Zi forever." "I'll be back..." Samara ran off into the approaching night, Leon walked inside the castle just as the rain began to pour. But before he could blink, a vision entered his mind's eye. Something in the fjord was firing upon the castle, there was a bright white flash and then.... darkness. "....no.... Hiltz is in the fjord...." Leon's eyes turned toward the window overlooking the fjord. Before he could run for the marble stairs, the whole room was filled with a bright white and blue light. Leon fell to the floor as a suit of armor fell on top of him, there was a gaping hole where the wall used to be and the stairs were destroyed. Leon opened his eyes to see the castle was about to be totalled from the blast of the particle beam. "Karl..... K-karl.... r-run.... save yourself...." Leon's eyes closed, he was knocked out...   
  
  


**--Continued--**


	9. Family Pride

  
  
  


**Timeless**  
_Part Nine: Family Pride_

  
  
  
  
The Death Stinger surfaced from the fjord, seeing Castle Eisen-Kreuz, the ancestral home of Clan Schubaltz engulf in flames, crumbling from structural damage. A sadistic grin crept on Hiltz's lips, he folded his arms and closed his eyes. "Samara didn't hold her end of the bargain.... so I had to do it for her." _Y'all need ta learn how to behave!_ "WHAT!!!" Hiltz was hit the a particle beam just as powerful as his own, the Death Stinger slammed into the rocky ledge of the fjord's cliffs and tumbled into the water. It sustained MASSIVE damage, the cockpit was retaining water, Hiltz looked up to see a T-Rex type zoid with buster claws extended, its' eyes glowing red. "Nice toy, Raven." Hiltz smirked, his ankles now swallowed in sea water. _Raven? Who's Raven? It's just Lil 'ol Belle Starr._ "Belle Starr?? You're Aethelwulf's zoid..." Hiltz snarled, putting his hands on the controls, the Death Stinger arose from the mud. "That means Aethelwulf is still alive." The Berserk Fury rushed inside the collapsing structure of the castle and rooted around for Leon, when she found him, the buster claw worked very gently to extract him from the rubble. The canopy opened, revealing that Belle wasn't exactly working alone... Karl was in the cockpit, strapped in for one wild ride from a classy lady. The buster claw gently set Leon in Karl's arms, the canopy closed, Karl turned up the boosters and they tore out of the wreckage. "We got to tell Bianka! Samara might try and do physical harm to her!!" Karl shouted, looking back as the rest of the castle was consumed in another particle blast. [_We got you covered, Colonel Schubaltz._] "Flyheight! Thomas! You're a sight for sore eyes!" Karl smiled as the Blade Liger and DiBison approached, he looked at the console. "Belle! They're friends! Open the canopy, Leon needs to be taken to the Ultrasaurer for medical attention!" _Whatever yah say, sugah._ The canopy opened, Karl lifted Leon into his arms, the Blade Liger's canopy opened, Van let Leon inside. "Take him back to the Ultrasaurer! I'll catch up as soon as I get Bianka and her son to safety!" Karl shouted as the Berserk Fury's canopy closed. "Good luck, Colonel!" Van nodded, the Blade Liger made a U-Turn. "Hurry up, Thomas!" "Karl!!! Unsere Schwester! Ist sie ganz recht? Was über unser Haus??"  
[Translation: Karl! Our sister! Is she all right? What about our home??] "Zerstört, Thomas. Zerstört durch den Todesstinger. Samaras, das mit Hiltz plottet!"  
[Translation: Destroyed, Thomas. Destroyed by the Death Stinger. Samara's been plotting with Hiltz!] "DIESES WEIBCHEN!!!!!"  
[Translation: THAT BITCH!] "Go, Thomas!! NOW!!" "Good luck, Karl." The DiBison did a U-turn, running after the Blade Liger. Karl turned toward the rolling hills as thunder rolled and lightning flashed, the hills came alive with the sound of clashing Great Zabres. Belle stopped to look around, the lightning intensified with their strikes, lighting the path. "Why'd you stop, Belle?" _Ah dun know, sugah. Mah avata' just wants me to stop..._ "What do you see?" _A catfight, Karl-hun._ "Take me there!" Karl pulled on the controls, his voice frantic as is his commands. "Those Great Zabres are pilotted by my sisters!! Schubaltz females are given Great Zabres for reaching the age of 18!" _You got it!_   
  
  
His indigo eyes opened, Leon looked up, moaning a bit. He saw he was in the backseat of the Blade Liger as it neared the Ultrasaurus. The Imperial Exemplar closed his eyes again, pretending to be asleep, but with his mind's eye, he was looking through Karl's. The Blade Liger and DiBison were loaded simultaniously onto the Ultrasaurer and into the hangars they went. "Castle Eisen-Kreuz had been destroyed." "Did Schubaltz get out alive??" Hermann asked, nervous as all Hell, his hands gripped the seat with white knuckles. "He's alive, sir. But he left us to find someone important before Hiltz does." Van looked out onto the viewscreen as lightning flashed, illuminating the bridge. "Why aren't you out there with him?? Where's Aethelwulf!?" "Unconscious. He was caught in the rubble as the Clan castle was destroyed...." Thomas reminded him, a sad look in his piercing green eyes.   
  
(**Colonel-sama's notes:** This scene was inspired by Final Fantasy X's 'Mt. Gagazet theme')   
  
[SCHUBALTZ!! THE ULTRASAURER WILL BE PULLING OUT OF HARBOR IN 20 MINUTES!! YOU BETTER BE ON OR YOU'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO GET BACK ON!] "..." Rain beat heavily onto his viewscreen as the forest gave him wide birth to a battlefield where two Great Zabres were fighting with tooth and claw. Bianka's was easier to tell from Samara's, Samara went through great lengths to scratch off the Emblem of Clan Schubaltz. "Why did you turn against your family, Samara? Why did you disown the proud name?" Bianka asked, making a last ditch effort to reach her half-sister. "I was never a Schubaltz to begin with...!! From Day One, I was treated as a freak because I didn't have blonde hair and green eyes!! All I heard about was Karl the Prodigal Son or Bianka the Perfect Lady or Thomas the Boy Genius!! All I got was Samara the Circus Freak!!! Vater was too ashamed to look at me and muter was too busy flaunting over Karl and his achievements or you with your grace and beauty and your work as an active member of many charity banquets or Thomas and his wonderful inventions and gadgets!! What did I have!? NOTHING!!!" "Samara!! If you wanted help, you should have asked us!! Karl or Thomas or I could have helped you!!!" Bianka held onto her controls, a fingernail broke off from the white-knuckling. "DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH!!!! ASK YOU FOR HELP!?" Samara snarled, her Great Zabre clawed at Bianka's with rage and force. "Karl acted like I grew a third eye and tentacles, you and Thomas treated me like a bitch! I hate you!! I HATE YOU!!!" The Great Zabre tore into Bianka's with such force, parts began to fly, Bianka screamed in pain and agony as her tiger-zoid staggered. "I will ENJOY watching you die, Bianka Celes Schubaltz!!!" "...then.... I shall DIE like a Schubaltz..." Bianka snarled, in her last ditch effort, her Great Zabre's fangs grabbed Samara's and tore it apart. The dented Zabre buckled and leaned to one side. "....fighting the evil that plagues our land, that is the Schubaltz way!" "Spare me family pride, Bianka!" Samara shouted, aiming her Vulcans at Bianka. "Before you kill me, Samara.... I have a question for you..." Bianka's green eyes pierced into Samara's blue eyes, anger and the lure of death in their lime hues. "Last words, sis?" Samara smirked, her thumb against the triggering mechanism. "Why? What drove you to kill your own father and the baby you had in your belly?" A thin trail of blood slowly trinkled down Bianka's forehead. "I figure if I slept with Icarus Lancaster of Clan Lancaster, I can discredit our humble family by getting pregnant. But when I learned that the cursed puppet people of Heimatland took pity and rallied their support for Clan Schubaltz and smeared me in the mud and trampled me like the sheepskin rug I was... I drank bleach until the baby was melted out of me.... as for vater.... I will admit he had broad shoulders... which made it easier to plunge the dagger between them!" "....you are right.... you are no Schubaltz..." Bianka frowned, clutching her pendant closely and closing her eyes. Samara grinned at that remark and opened fire, laughing as Bianka's Great Zabre was riddled with bullets and began to smoke black, billowing smoke. Samara laughed with sadistic glee as the Great Zabre erupted into flames, but she continued to fire upon the zoid with psychotic blue eyes staring into the fire with cruel enthrallment. Samara's Great Zabre was soon smacked away from the fiery wreckage by a missile barrage, standing on the tallest hill, illumated by the lightning, was the Berserk Fury known as Belle Starr, a classy Southern gal in the body of a truly powerful zoid. "Well, if it isn't Big Brother Karl descending from Up High to mingle with the commoners. You liked that, didn't you, mama's boy? Look at the flaming pile of bullshit that used to be your sister, Bianka!!! Look how it flames, look upon her death, Karl!! For soon you shall be joinin---!!!" The Great Zabre was engulfed in a charged particle beam, incinerated instantly. There was nothing left of the Great Zabre, not even rubble. Exhausted poured from the particle intake valves, the buster claws closed and holstered to Belle's side. The valves closed and the pilons dug from out of the ground, Belle closed her jaws and make a u-turn, walking away.... walking away from the carnage, carrying Karl with her. Karl held his emblem necklace to his chest as he blinked back the tears, he looked at the stormy night sky. "....you died like a Schubaltz, Bianka.... Thomas and I will never forget thee..." Belle continued for the Ultrasaurer...   
  
  


**--Continued--**


	10. Shining Starr

  
  
  


**Timeless**  
_Part Ten: Shining Starr_

  
  
  
  
"Sir, Schubaltz is on his way. The Berserk Fury is getting good ground coverage." O'Connell looked back at Hermann, confirming the Imperial colonel's destination. Hermann looked up as lightning flashed, Moonbay looked back at the Republican colonel for instructions. Stopping the Ultrasaurer from moving another inch, the female transporter cracked her knuckles and started humming. Fiona tracked the movements of Belle through radar, her crimson eyes staring at the green blip. "The Berserk Fury is ETA 3 minutes away and closing." "Open the hatches to let him in." Hermann nodded, looking back at the soldiers behind him. "Yessir." "Hermann!? Something's behind Colonel Schubaltz!!!" Fiona looked up at Hermann, very surprised and very frightened, she shook in fear as the color drained from her skin. "It's the Death Stinger!" "The Death Stinger will shadow the Berserk Fury until it enters the Ultrasaurer and then blast us ALL out of the water! We have to go now, sir!!!" "We can't leave Schubaltz behind!!!" Hermann barked, growling at the soldier who gave that cockamamy notion. "In fact, we're NOT leaving Schubaltz behind!" "WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE THE ULTRASAURER, SIR!!!! ONE LESS IMPERIAL SOLDIER DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!" That Republican soldier was grabbed and turned around to stare into the indigo eyes of Hell itself. Hoisted up into the air by his neck, the soldier shook when he learned the man who was asphyxiating him was Leon Aethelwulf, Karl's one true companion. The soldier shook in the knees, Leon's eyes were white, devoid of any pupils and/or irises and demonic. "The only reason I'm letting you all live is because Belle can't travel over the waves with her boosters and without magic or magical assistance. I'd rather that YOU lost YOUR lives than Karl lose his!" "Aethelwulf! That's enough!" Leon threw the soldier to the ground, he stood there staring at the view screen, then left. Hermann helped the soldier off the ground, they all watched Leon leave into the darkness of the elevator. "Leon!" Thomas rushed for the door, typing in the codes and then pounding on them. "He's locked us all in!!" "What!?" Irvine shouted, then typed up the code as well. "He sure did! Why'd he lock us all in!?"   
  
  
Karl dodged a round of missiles from the Death Stinger, Belle slipped on some mud and went skating across the muddy shores. Her boosters kicked on, able to make a 90 degree turn and continue for the Ultrasaurer. _Ah can't seem to outrun him, honey!_ "We got to get to the Ultrasaurer!" _Ah'm tryin'!!!_ "Can't you go max speed?? I seen you move 340 MPH!!!" Karl shifted the controls to dodge another round of missiles. _This isn't exactly desert wasteland! If ah misjudge mahself, we'll end up swimmin' with the Hammer Heads!_ "....understood." His green eyes narrowed, seeing the Ultrasaurer closing in at a fast rate. More missiles nailed the ground in front of them, the mud splattered on Belle. The view screen was covered in mud, Karl and Belle spun out of control. "DAUGH!!!!" _Ah can't hold on!!!_ The Berserk Fury tumbled and rolled on the ground, one of the buster arms broke off and impaled itself in the mud. Karl cried out as one of the windows shattered and the view screen blacked out completely, leaving him in the dark. The only light in the cockpit were the control panel lights, the other buster claw was almost broken off, the third finger was bent back all the way. Belle looked up to see the Death Stinger approaching, she growled but without the cannon and with the missile launchers and guns clogged with mud and dirt, she was a sitting Fury. Hiltz smirked sadistically as he approached the mud-coated Berserk Fury, his hands against the panels of the Death Stinger's control chair. "Two fish in one barrel... I am lucky." Belle opened her jaws, the valves opened to take in particles for the beam. Hiltz laughed, mocking her attempt to buy time for help. "You think without your buster claws, the particle beam will be just as powerful? And without your pilot, your aim is way off!" _Ah dun care, you red-headed varmit! As long as Ah give you a good spankin'!!!_ The particle cannon charged, Belle fired with a hope and a prayer that she hit something on the Death Stinger. A flash of light engulfed the battlefield, Hiltz looked up to see the particle beam had destroyed the Death Stinger's tail. "It can't be!!!" "What's going on!?" Karl shouted to Belle, he was fighting blind. _Hold onto yer hat, honeybear! Yer in for one helluva ride!!_ Belle stood up on her feet and rushed for the Death Stinger. _YEEEEEEE-HAAAAAAWWWWW!!!!_ "What!?" Belle headbutted the Death Stinger, the Sea Scorpion tumbled in the mud and rolled around until it smashed itself against the rocks. The blue and red metal plating was dented in, some of the red viewscreen was starting to flicker. "You bitch!" Hiltz cried out, firing more missiles frantically. Belle dodged with ease and tried for Round Two, but she was grabbed the the Death Stinger's claws. "That trick worked once, I won't work again!" _LET GO, YOU SADISTIC SNAKE!!_ "You will soon die-- HUH!?" Hiltz looked at the location where the claw was holding Belle. "....the zoid is... bleeding?" He examined Belle further, then realized that the location of the dislocated buster claw was bloody and torn. "...if it can bleed..." He smirked as the other claw opened to seal Belle's fate. "...it can die." [_SO CAN YOU..._] Lightning nailed Belle, sending the Death Stinger flying backwards. Belle was flooded in a bluish-white light, the buster claws reformed with perfection, all dents and cuts and wounds healed perfectly and the view screen gave Karl a ringside seat of the fight. But to his surprise, a technomancer's virtual visor appeared over his green eyes, he was melding with the controls! Karl was about to panic when he heard Leon's voice in his mind, comforting and reassuring. [_You'll be okay, we can do it..._] "Leon..." Karl smiled, then felt Leon's arms wrap around him, guiding him and shielding him. "Okay." The Death Stinger got back up, seeing that Belle Starr was all healed up and ready for Round 2. "AMBIENT!!!" A red flash erupted as Ambient melded with the Death Stinger, the tail returned and the damage was also healed. Hiltz laughed at Belle and the tail crackled as the particles began to collect. Belle put on her pilons, the claws opened and crackled and the valves were collecting particles as well. Her jaw opened and the particle beam gun deployed. Leon's eyes closed, a sadistic smile on his own lips. "Now... it is your time, Hiltz. See you in Hell." Hiltz was about to fire when a yellow streak shined through, the tail splintered off. "WHAT!?" The Blade Liger landed and twirled in the mud, Van smiled sarcastically and crackled his knuckles. "Let's made this a fair fight." "YEAH!!!" Irvine and Thomas rushed for the Death Stinger, the DiBison gored Hiltz's zoid where it counts. "Take the bull by the horns and you'll get gored!" Thomas grinned and did the peace sign. Belle's head followed the projectory of the Death Stinger being flinged into the air. The ground shook under her, the particle beam fired, engulfing the Death Stinger in its' blue and white beam. A stone shell of what was left of the Death Stinger landed with a thud. Belle drew in all her features, the buster claws holstered at her side and she roared in triumph. But before they all could celebrate, a red light erupted from the Death Stinger and vanished on the horizon. "HILTZ IS GETTING AWAY!!!" "Damn..." Karl swore, then leaned against the chair, unknowing that he was lying right against the body of his true love, Leon Aethelwulf... until Leon's arms slung around him in a loving embrace. "Leon.... thank-you." "You're welcome, Karl." Leon whispered softly, smiling, his chin on Karl's shoulder. "I'll always be right here for you... call my name and I'll be there." They snuggled inside the cockpit of Belle Starr, the Berserk Fury, getting an escort service by Van Flyheight, Irvine and Lt. Thomas Schubaltz. The Ultrasaurer was waiting for them... ...and a new battle...   
  
  


**--Continued--**


	11. Storm before the Calm

  
  
  
  


**Timeless**  
_Part Eleven: Storm before the Calm_

  
  
  
"Welcome back, Colonel Schubaltz." Hermann saluted as Karl stepped inside the bridge. Karl was in full Imperial uniform again, his once-greasy, muddy hair is shiny and clean again and the dirt and sweat from road travel and constant running was gone. "Good to be back." Karl saluted again, smiling at Hermann with a triumphant smile. The staff of the Ultrasaurer clapped upon Karl's return, Thomas ran up and hugged his brother tightly. "Thomas!? I'm okay! Really." "I know, pardon me for saying so but I was really worried about you." "You don't need military permission to say that, Thomas." Karl smiled and hugged Thomas back, getting the staff to clap and cheer again.   
  
Staring at the Blade Liger and the Berserk Fury, Leon and Van started to talk to each other. Belle looked at the Blade Liger and gently gave the Blade Liger a slight shove. The Blade Liger shifted back on its' axles and gave Belle a small growl. "Your Blade Liger's shield is a very powerful shielding system, but against charged particle beams, it doesn't hold its' own. Belle's particle beam has the same power consistancy as the Death Stinger's, it's quite possible that I can upgrade the Blade Liger's shield to take the full blunt force of the Death Stinger's particle beam head on..." Leon sipped his bottle of water, turning to Van and adjusted his imperial uniform cap. "It's possible to do that?" Van asked, now curious. "I thought the Blade Liger was so perfect that it didn't need upgrades." "The Death Saurer battle 3 years ago, you were lucky. The Death Saurer's particle consistancy was incredibly low." "But it wiped out a whole platoon of Command Wolves and Shield Ligers in one blow." "Think about it, Van... Republican Command Wolves and Shield Ligers are a dime a dozen. They didn't even need a Death Saurer to tell them that they were shitty in design and structure..." "I'm trying to think that this isn't your overzealous anti-Republican sentiment talking." Van frowned, looking back at the Blade Liger, his arms against the railings. "Why do you hate the Helic Republic so much?" Leon frowned, he lounged against the railing and stared into the sunny skies above. "....Helic reminds me of America..." "That's an Earthian nation, wasn't it?" "Yes. America was a double-standard from the first getgo..." "What nation did you wave loyalty to on Earth?" The dark-haired Blade Liger pilot asked, looking at him with fascination. "Great Britian..." Leon smirked. "You want those upgrades or not?" "Sure, but how are you going to do so?" "I'm the Exemplar, baby. Never underestimate me." Leon winked, giving Van the victory sign and hopping down to the hangar level. "Belle, stop dicking the pussy." _Sorry, was in the mood to go Liger-Tippin'_ Van watched with amazement and astonishment that Leon and his Berserk Fury were holding a conversation as Leon working on the Blade Liger. _It's funky watching Leon and Karl talk to that zoid like it were a person. But the oddity is, that zoid responds back and they hold up an intelligent conversation... maybe even crack a joke. But when we try to listen through the link-ups... all we hear is Leon and Karl talking to a voiceless façade.... it.... it's like they are hiding something about that zoid that could be very crucial..._   
_Ah dun like that Flyheight kid, sugah-pie... he likes to snoop where it's rude to snoop._ "Karl has no problem with him... I guess I shouldn't either, but he's got a strong Republican-holier-than-thou attitude despite the disposition he's in now." _Are yah really gonna install that shield?_ "I told him all there was to tell except two 'minor' things..." Leon smirked, removing something from his duffelbag. "A.) He can only take one blast from the Death Stinger before the shields deteriorate and they cannot be restored for an hour... and B.) ....with this... his pet organoid cannot bond with the Blade Liger... that means Van's little 'Organoid drug' will not be helping him in the Death Stinger battle." _Yah got a sneaky heart, sugah._ "Consider this a RUDE wake-up call from the Powers-That-Be."   
  
  
The Ultrasaurer's gentle rocking as it swam serenely through the glassy sea and the notion that Hiltz will not bother them for weeks gave an insentive for all in mega-zoid to get some much deserved sleep. Hermann slowly arose from his chair and turned off the lights, the Ultrasaurer was in Auto-Mode, sailing to the Empire for supplies and manpower. He stretched and yawned, the door closed behind him. Spotting Irvine, Thomas, Van and Zeek asleep on the couches in uncomfortable positions, the Republican colonel couldn't help but chuckle mentally. Taking the elevator down to the quarters, the one place that he had to pass through was the hangar where Belle slept. _Leon's zoid is the same structure and build as any of Raven's pet monsters.... but yet, it doesn't have the homicidal tendancies... if it did, Schubaltz wouldn't be caught dead in it and he is just as good a pilot for it as Aethelwulf._ Hermann heard something behind him, he turned to face it when a bunch of things flew down on them. Ambient roared and flew off at top speeds, Hermann growled but then he heard Belle snarling, a low, painful roar bellowed from her metal jaws. Turning around to see what Ambient had did, Hermann was soon in for a **_MASSIVE_** shock. He was standing there, his mouth wide and his eyes locked in terror. "My god in Heaven...."   
  
  
_"Hermann?? Van???" Leon looked around the empty city, the world appeared smoking and on fire. Behind him the Death Saurer roared and bellowed an ode to a bloody, carnal victory. In the background was the remains of the Ultrasaurer, it's yellowish-orange canopy cracked and coated in a fine layer of crimson. The DiBison and Geno Breaker were frozen in stone, a look of terror in their metal faces. Off to the side, the Death Stinger arose from the ashes of his dead comrades, the tail deployed. A red flash accompanied a man's scream, Leon looked up the path to the Zoids Eve control panel. Karl was there, fending off Ambient with a large metal pipe. Fiona was on the platform as well, her and Zeke... Fiona's pink outfit was caked and stained with blood, she was in a trance... but Leon could sense.... something more. Was Fiona who she claimed... or was she dicking everyone from the first getgo? "Zeke...." She pointed to Karl and Ambient, her red eyes cold and emotionless. Zeke roared and flew at the Imperial colonel, head-ramming the blonde beauty in the ribs at great force. Before he could fall with a thud, Belle collected him in her canopy and closed it tightly. Then the Berserk Fury was consumed in a bright light and like a comet in the night sky, Belle ripped the Zoids Eve right in two. Leon's eyes widened in shock, he turned to face the Death Saurer as it fell to the ground with a LOUD, Earth-shaking THUD! The Death Stinger however, was inching for the Berserk Fury. "KARL!!!!" Leon went to step forward when his body wracked and locked in such incredible pain, pain he's never felt before. He looked down at his body to see something he hadn't seen in 15,000 years-- he was bleeding CRIMSON blood. Looking back up at Belle, she landed in front of the Death Stinger and hissed, in the canopy, Karl slid his hand through his blonde hair and pulled it out... his hand was coated in an aquamarine liquid..... liquid oozed from the wounds where blood was supposed to be... "**KKKKKKKAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRLLLLLLLL**"_   
  
Leon woke up almost screaming, his tan, manly body covered in a thin layer of sweat. Karl woke up, then sat up while placing his hands on Leon's shoulders. "It was...." "Are you alright, love?" Karl massaged his shoulders, worry etched itself on his pretty features. "....yeah.... just a bad dream.... nothing more." Karl wrapped his arms around Leon's waist, his cheek on Leon's spine. Leon stared off into the darkness. _WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT!?_   
  
  


**--Continued--**


	12. The Truth about Belle Starr

  
  
  


**Timeless**  
_Part Twelve: The Truth about Belle Starr_

  
  
  
  
"AETHELWULF!" Leon blinked, looking up as he dipped his chopsticks in his bowl of rice, his blue hair gently hit his chiseled cheeks. Van looked up as well, from eating his breakfast, the early morning scream awoke everyone. "What's going on?" Fiona asked after stirring salt into her coffee, then from out of nowhere, Hermann stormed in. The color had drained from his face, and he looked more frightened than actual anger. Karl rested his cheek in one hand and sipped his coffee, looking up into the spooked face of the Republican colonel. "What's on your mind, Colonel?" Karl asked, smiling in his usual way, sipping his coffee. Hermann slammed the palms of his hands on the table, eye-to-eye with Leon. With a voice that suggested terror undescribable, Hermann shouted: "WHAT. THE. HELL. IS THAT.... THING..... IN THE HANGAR!?" "It's Belle Starr, the Berserk Fury. She's a classy lady and very friendly zoid." "....zoid? ZOID??? **ZOIDS DON'T BLEED!!!!!**" "B-b-bleed!? As in ACTUAL blood??" Van coughed up his coffee and stared at Hermann wide-eyed and in shock. "What do you mean!?" "Yeah, what do you mean?" Leon's eyebrow quirked, eating his rice. "Don't play dumb with me, Aethelwulf! You AND Schubaltz know what the hell Belle really is! Come clean, both of you!!" Hermann shouted again, he was getting angry and it showed. Removing the coffee mug to his pouty, pink lips, his eyelids fluttered open to look at Leon. "...he's not going to drop the issue, Leon. We might as well come clean now." "Karl, you know that if I explain it, it'll lose its' mysticism." Karl smirked and tipped his head back, setting his coffee mug against the table. "I have to work with this man into keeping the peace in Zi. I cannot do my job if Hermann is breathing down my neck demanding what it is that Belle is." "Hemph..." Leon's face twisted in a huff and he shoveled in a chopstick-full of rice. "Well, lemme finish my breakfast."   
  
Behind a closed door and everyone's backs, Leon and Karl stood in the seclusion of a dim hallway. In the safety of each other's embrace, the lovers could only dwell on the forlorn, inescapable fact that their cover was blown and they must reveal the cold, hard facts about Belle and the reasoning behind Sanctuary. "...this is going to be painful." Leon whispered as Karl's lips tenderly touched his jawline. "...at best, we'll be exiled." "Shhhhhh...." Karl reassured his immortal lover, planting his lips on Leon's. "You're thinking too negatively, Leon..." "I'm being realistic." Leon frowned, his arms pulling the blonde Imperial colonel closer to his body. "If we are gonna be exiled..." Karl sighed, his cheek on Leon's shoulder respectively. "...we'll have nothing at all..." "Except each other..." Leon whispered softly, smelling the fragrant shampoo in Karl's wheat-gold hair, his fingers entrenched in each golden-colored lock. His lips touched the Imperial colonel's temple tenderly, Leon's eyes fluttered shut. "...l-let's go to the hangar.... they're probably waiting for us."   
  
"About time." Hermann folded his arms, angry and disillusioned. "Now, Aethelwulf... Schubaltz..." He angrily pointed his finger at Belle, a small snarl on his lips. "What is that??" "She looks like a normal zoid to me, Colonel Hermann." Van spoke up, looking Belle over. "... think again..." Leon replied in a low, forlorn voice, his hand clasping Karl's tightly. "...Belle is not a zoid." "Not a zoid!?" Everyone turned their attention to Leon and Karl, shocked and surprised. "Come again?" The exemplar parted from Karl and stepped up to Belle, his expression morose and his voice was low. "Belle..." The Berserk Fury looked at her pilot, her small arm wiped her face and let out a small growl. She saw the look in his eyes, then saw the crowd around them. "...de-shackle." Belle let out a menassing growl, but she stepped out of her hangar and threw her head up and roared. The white armor plating of the Berserk Fury began to dettach themselves from Belle's body and fall to the floor. The armor pieces on her head fell as well. Everyone, except Karl and Leon stepped away from the thing that stood before them, shocked and scared stiff. It turned out that the thing under the armor plating was an actual black dragon with cybernetic implants, technomantic-workings, her body was covered in bio-organic metal, the particle beam cannon remained in her mouth, there was no tongue accompanying it. The buster claws extended to form dragon wings, Belle let out a sickening roar, instinctual dedication to her masters sank in. "Belle...." Leon walked closer to the massive beast, followed by Karl, Karl was holding Leon's hand tightly. The dragon lowered her head so the Imperial exemplar can pet her. It crilled, but her peaceful moment ended when she witnessed the troubling expression on everyone's faces. In a blink of an eye, the armor plating reformed on her body and she returned to being a Berserk Fury. "Explain... NOW." Hermann's arms folded, his expression went back from fear to anger. Closing his eyes to collect his thoughts, he rubbed his temples and cleared his throat. "Belle.... is a Dragon-Borg..." "Huh??" "Dragon-Borgs are the work of technomancers. Sanctuary breeds dragons from the first day of their life to maturity and train them in magic and combat skills... but also the mages encase the dragons in armor to simulate the feeling of fighting in zoid armor. Using various technomancer rituals and incantations, the mages of Sanctuary turned the dragon into a half-living, half-cybernetic being of remarkable capabilities. Then... we encase the dragon-borg in zoid armor, making them resemble T-Rex zoids like Raven's Geno Saurer and Geno Breaker or even Redlers and Reddras. But... that's not all. Other technomancer rituals are performed to make them look like and even pass as zoids." "Why? Why did you Malfaesians build these things??" Van asked, running up to face Leon. "....to learn from our first mistake." His eyes closed, his hands in his pockets. "Our first Borg-Zoid.... wasn't a dragon at all." "What was it?" Thomas asked, now fascinated by this. "...." He sighed, then looked up at Belle. "....scorpion." "SCORPION!?" It dawned on Van, then on everyone else, the color from everyone's face just drained. "THE DEATH STINGER!?" "...yes." The Imperial exemplar didn't have to nod, his voice was sad enough. "....the Dragon-Borg-Zoids were our last ditch effort to stop the inevitable. We had foreseen Hiltz's rise to power through use of our prototype Borg-Zoid. In fact.... Hiltz didn't destroy Sanctuary on his own accord, Hiltz didn't know Sanctuary existed until he found the Death Stinger." "...." Hermann replied to that, bitterly.... but it wasn't toward Leon at all. "The Death Stinger lead Hiltz to the doorsteps of the Mages and it talked Hiltz into firing." "Makes perfect sense. The entity inside the Death Stinger didn't want the Mages to build Dragon-Borg-Zoids to destroy it so it had Hiltz destroy the Sanctuary." Van replied with his own theory, which was accurate. "But knowing Hiltz, he'd have no objection to it." O'Connell growled his anger out. "In fact, he'd embrace the idea of destroying the only thing that can destroy his pet Borg-Zoid." Thomas clenched his fists and looked at them. "Aethelwulf, Schubaltz..." President Camford stepped up and cleared her throat, she smiled at them and bowed her head. "I want to congratulate you both for returning to us during trying times." "Thank-you, Madam President." Karl bowed, but Leon remained still, his expression bleak. "But, Aethelwulf... I am greatly displeased that these experiments were taking place... and in my borders." Camford's pleasantries ended really fast, Leon however, remained adament. "I want Belle destroyed..." "WHAT!?" That shocked everyone, Van turned his direction to confront the President. "NO!" "Belle is a breach of the Refugee Treaty, Mr. Aethelwulf. She must be destroyed!" "Tell me something, Madam President.... if Belle was destroyed then who shall stop the Death Stinger?" Leon's eyes turned white and demonic, claws ripped from his fingertips. "The Death Stinger as old as it is.... it has an avatar... and when avatars age, they grow in power... and if they reach the pinnacle of power, they become practically immortal... so tell me, Madam President.... HOW ARE YOU GOING TO STOP THE DEATH STINGER???!!!!!" "We shall find a way to stop it without Belle!!!" Camford shouted, soldiers surrounded Karl and Leon. "Arrest Aethelwulf and Schubaltz and have the Berserk Fury destroyed!" "NO!!!!" Belle gave the Blade Liger one BIG push then rushed for Leon and Karl, snatching them both in her small hands. She almost trampled Camford along the way, using a spell to blast her way out of the Ultrasaurer. The buster claws turned into techomantic dragon wings and flew off into the morning sky...   
  
  


**--Continued--**


End file.
